Understand the essentials of cricket, from its rules and gameplay to its rich traditions. Discover how the sport is played and why fans love it.
Cricket started in England in the late 16th century and was originally a child's game. As adults started to play, it was still more for recreation, but eventually moved from a spectator sport to the highly organized, highly competitive sport millions of fans now know and love around the globe. Cricket has a passionate following, especially in places like India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, West Indies and of course England, the birthplace of cricket. These countries have the most devoted fan bases, and host some of the most prestigious tournaments in the world.
Cricket – Where to Start
As an American, I knew very little about cricket. I knew it was a bat and ball sport, and thanks to the movie Shaun of the Dead, that a cricket bat could be used successfully to fight zombies. I was also aware that American baseball was influenced by cricket, but that was basically it. I created this primer for myself to get up to speed, and then thought I'd share it so that others who want to learn about cricket have a place to start. And of course, streaming live matches on TrillerTV is the perfect way to find your own passion for it.
In the Thicket of Cricket – The Basics of the Game
Each team usually has eleven players and the goal is to score the most runs. The field/pitch is a rectangle 22 yards long, and at each end of the pitch is a wicket (a "stump" made up of three wooden posts, upright and side by side, with two sticks placed horizontally across them). The term "wicket" can also refer to the dismissal of the "batter" or the actual distance (22 yards) between the stumps.
Both teams take turns batting and fielding, and the batting team goes in pairs, with one "batter" or "batsman" at each end of the wicket. Runs are scored by the players running between the wickets.
The player who throws the ball is called the "bowler." And the ball itself is hard and solid and made up of a cork core, wound string, and a stitched, leather cover. A red cricket ball is called a "cherry."
A coin toss is used to determine the order, with the winning captain making that decision for his team as to whether they will bat or field first. Teams will bat until ten of their batsmen have been dismissed or the team has completed its "over". And an over is six balls, also known as "deliveries" thrown by the fielding team.
And like baseball, the team with the most runs wins.
Get Out – Getting Dismissed in Cricket
You're out! This is what you don't want to hear in baseball and won't hear in cricket. So how can a batter be dismissed? Here are a few ways:
- Bowled – When the bowler knocks over the stumps
- Caught – If a fielder catches a hit ball before it hits the ground
- Leg Before Wicket (LBW) – If a ball would have hit the stumps, but hits the batsman's leg instead
- Run Out – When a fielder "breaks the wicket" while the batsman is "out of their ground"
- Stumped – If a ball bounces off the batsman and is caught by the "wicketkeeper" before it hits the stumps
- Hit Wicket – When the batsman hits their own wicket, they are dismissed
Cricket Fans – Here's to Tradition
A sport that is centuries old is bound to have some strong traditions. Like soccer/football, cricket boasts a very dedicated fanbase, where they sing in the stands, have watch parties/events with friends in pubs or gathering places and follow the sport in the paper, magazines and in online fan forums. So, if you already love cricket and are a fan, or just want to explore it and watch for fun, TrillerTV offers great ways to watch, including channels like Willow Sports, Times Internet, and more.
